It seemed like it would never happen. For years, rumors bounced around Beacon that the famous old Roundhouse, fortuitously perched on the banks of the Fishkill Creek right near the picturesque Beacon Falls, was going to be magically transformed into an upscale hotel and restaurant. But there the dilapidated, boarded-up building sat — and sat — while plan after plan sputtered and stalled. But that all changed last August when the outdoor dining patio at The Roundhouse at Beacon Falls finally opened amid much hullabaloo.
“Global street food” is what restaurant manager/developer Brendan McAlpine calls the fare. “It’s an attempt to take the familiar across different cultures and do something playful with it,” he says. Aiming for higher quality, unique food, the restaurant’s choices range from a Banh Mi sandwich (Vietnamese pulled pork served on a baguette with cilantro and pickles) to tuna ceviche with avocado, pistachio, and orange. Also popular are the shoestring French fries with lemon zest and smoked Gouda. Beacon’s own Zora Dora’s is providing micro-batch ice cream goodies, as are other local farms and purveyors. Of course, the one-of-a-kind view is as big a draw here as the fine eats.
Dining is casual so disposable products are recyclable and compostable, which is good for the globe. Even more exciting: the Roundhouse patio is the first completed renovation of a much larger, “green” certified project, which will include an 80-seat, upscale restaurant and lounge; a hotel; five artist live/work lofts; and a catering space — all scheduled to open by 2012. We’ll tell you all about it in an upcoming issue. Open Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
